The Nerdy Dozen

April 7, 2014
Thirteen-year-old Neil Andertol may get picked on by the school bully, but he gets to be the hero in his favorite online video game, Chameleon, a fighter jet simulator. Even better, the game leads Neil to help the Air Force find a real Chameleon jet—it turns out that Chameleon is actually a classified training device for high-level pilots. With those pilots missing, Neil and 11 other young gamers try to save them and the high-tech plane. After whipping through training, Neil and the other top-guns-to-be, including a competitive kid named Trevor who Neil gets stuck being co-pilot for, head off in the remaining Chameleons to complete their mission. Video game–like action sequences give the fast-moving plot unexpected (and often funny) twists. Neil is a wry, relatable narrator whose gaming obsession will resonate with like-minded readers. The premise of Miller’s debut novel is over-the-top, and that’s the point—it’s an entertaining dreams-do-come-true sort of novel for kids who, like Neil, find empowerment easier online than in real life. Ages 8–12. Agent: Joelle Hobeika, Alloy Entertainment.

May 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Neil Andertol, 13, is an expert at video games, especially Chameleon, rumored to be a leaked military/flying simulator. While his eight-year-old sister competes at a karate tournament, Neil gets dropped off at his archenemy's house for the weekend. Unable to withstand the bullying from Tommy and his cronies, Neil heads home, only to be captured by the Air Force. Major Jones gathers him and 11 other kids who live vicariously through Chameleon. They embark on an important mission in which they will train to pilot real planes and locate a stolen jet. They soon find themselves on a remote island with a whopping dilemma. Harris, a frenzied video-game millionaire, has taken the plane in an attempt to steal the Chameleon's invisibility technology, the most advanced in the world. With the help of the island's natives, Neil and his friends use their video-gaming skills to thwart Harris's sinister plan. With a great variety of characters and their changable degrees of weirdness, the plot is well developed. Part action and part slapstick, the book will be savored by fans of video games and those interested in military aviation. However, reluctant readers might lose interest in the unusual occurrences of virtual ostrich racing and aviation lingo.-Krista Welz, North Bergen High School, NJ

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